Your Advice on Buying a Mini Van

[ruanddu]

Hello,

We are looking to buy a used mini van for our family.

I would appreciate hearing your experience if you are also a fellow mini van driver and how you decided which model to go with.

What make and model did you find was best for your needs?

How old can I go and still get a good van with safety features and functionality.

Did you buy at a dealer or craigslist, facebook marketplace, etc?

Thank you.

[dual]

I bought a Chrysler town and country minivan new in 2006 and I’m still using it. I love it: reliable, large cargo area, good power, stable in crosswinds. At the time, I test drove a Toyota sienna and did not like it at all. The engine compartment intruded into the passenger area. So don’t think you have to go Japanese.

[ruanddu]

Thanks!

[turtlebug]

Bought a 2003 Honda Odyssey EX-L brand new at the end of 2002 and we still drive it/love it today. Very dependable, no issues whatsoever. Lots of room, very safe and all the upgrades you want. We'll keep it until it gives up the ghost.

[ruanddu]

Bought a 2003 Honda Odyssey EX-L brand new at the end of 2002 and we still drive it/love it today. Very dependable, no issues whatsoever. Lots of room, very safe and all the upgrades you want. We'll keep it until it gives up the ghost.

Thanks! We currently have a 2000 Odyssey which we love to but wasn't recently rear ended so not sure putting the money into fixing damaged hatch door, etc is worth it. It only has 135k or so miles so it is hard to let go of. But prices on used vans is still crazy expensive for mileage!

No tranny issues with your 2003? We luckily haven't had any with ours, even though supposedly it's a problem with these years.

[turtlebug]

Bought a 2003 Honda Odyssey EX-L brand new at the end of 2002 and we still drive it/love it today. Very dependable, no issues whatsoever. Lots of room, very safe and all the upgrades you want. We'll keep it until it gives up the ghost.

Thanks! We currently have a 2000 Odyssey which we love to but wasn't recently rear ended so not sure putting the money into fixing damaged hatch door, etc is worth it. It only has 135k or so miles so it is hard to let go of. But prices on used vans is still crazy expensive for mileage!

No tranny issues with your 2003? We luckily haven't had any with ours, even though supposedly it's a problem with these years.

No issues whatsoever on our 2003 Odyssey. We have a neighbor with a 2002 Odyssey and he has chipping paint issues, so I'd stay away from that year if you plan to purchase another van. My minivan also has very very low miles (under 100K) and if I had some rear-end damage, I'd have it repaired and keep it.

[KSOC]

We bought a 2011 Kia Sedona from the dealer. My wife sat in the drivers seat in van's from Honda, Toyota, Chevy, Dodge and decided she liked the way she could see the road in the Kia. Still have it, 77,000 miles, and is still a nice driving vehicle.

[FIRWYW]

2004 odyssey bought used in 2008 off Craigslist ad with 40k miles. Now has 250k miles. Rebuilt transmission at about 120k miles which is apparently a very common problem for the model that includes that year. Replaced motors on doors 3 times (2 on one side, one on other). Paint peak off on edges of doors. Otherwise has worked well mechanically. We like the sienna more because of awd and smoother ride but cost was about 30% higher.

If I were buying right now, needing within next year but could wait 6 months I would buy a new sienna since used prices are so high.

As a quick thought- if you are buying used and if you live near Utah and have someone there that can look at it before you travel over, consider buying there. Lots more used vans. Our in laws found us this one for about 25% less than we could buy local and with about 30k less miles. We live 10 hours away. Just picked it up from them when came down to visit. When I was looking at wether to buy new/used 2 years ago, saw similar really nice savings (but given overall high prices decided to try to push off until 1 more kid leaves home and I don’t need a van anymore)

[ruanddu]

Appreciate the replies!

[The Man with the Axe]

Saw one today with a great bumpersticker: "I used to be cool"

[tibbitts]

2004 odyssey bought used in 2008 off Craigslist ad with 40k miles. Now has 250k miles. Rebuilt transmission at about 120k miles which is apparently a very common problem for the model that includes that year. Replaced motors on doors 3 times (2 on one side, one on other). Paint peak off on edges of doors. Otherwise has worked well mechanically. We like the sienna more because of awd and smoother ride but cost was about 30% higher.

We get a lot of posts extolling the virtues of Honda and Toyota, so I should probably ask whether these repairs were picked up by some kind of warranty program by the manufacturer? I've had my domestic transmission start to act up at just a little more miles than that and haven't been happy about it, but of course there was no relief in sight. The problems were known and cost about $50 in parts to fix, plus an amount similar to the national debt for labor.

[Woodshark]

I'm a fan of our Chrysler Pacifica. It has a fantastic ride, a proven engine and it will hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the hatch down. Most minivans cannot.

[teCh0010]

2004 odyssey bought used in 2008 off Craigslist ad with 40k miles. Now has 250k miles. Rebuilt transmission at about 120k miles which is apparently a very common problem for the model that includes that year. Replaced motors on doors 3 times (2 on one side, one on other). Paint peak off on edges of doors. Otherwise has worked well mechanically. We like the sienna more because of awd and smoother ride but cost was about 30% higher.

We get a lot of posts extolling the virtues of Honda and Toyota, so I should probably ask whether these repairs were picked up by some kind of warranty program by the manufacturer? I've had my domestic transmission start to act up at just a little more miles than that and haven't been happy about it, but of course there was no relief in sight. The problems were known and cost about $50 in parts to fix, plus an amount similar to the national debt for labor.

For 04 and 05 years they revised the transmission by adding an additional cooler return line to lubricate the trouble spot in the transmission. When you had the recall done they inspected for damage and replaced the transmission if needed.

“ ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 15,000 MILES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO IDENTIFY GEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED DISCOLORATION DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED IF DISCOLORATION IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL PERFORM THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE.”

[Hulu]

Bought a 2018 Pacifica Hybrid

Pro’s:

safe/heavy
good MPG
great visibility
quiet
third row stow and go
great infotainment

Con’s

multiple recalls
no AWD
no 2nd row stow and go
not a lot of them so some mechanics don’t know how to fix it
sliding doors don’t always work
due to fire risk could not garage car for a year
elevated fire risk compared to non-hybrids
Chrysler Corp service is poor

Depends

comfort
captains chairs
some people don’t love the aesthetics of a minivan

[Sandtrap]

Hello,

We are looking to buy a used mini van for our family.

I would appreciate hearing your experience if you are also a fellow mini van driver and how you decided which model to go with.

What make and model did you find was best for your needs?

How old can I go and still get a good van with safety features and functionality.

Did you buy at a dealer or craigslist, facebook marketplace, etc?

Thank you.

brand new:

Honda Pilot
Built on the same platform as the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck. AWD. V6 engine.

Toyota

j
dis laimer: cars are like shoes. . or slippers. . there's no universal fit.

[CenTexan]

I'm a fan of our Chrysler Pacifica. It has a fantastic ride, a proven engine and it will hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the hatch down. Most minivans cannot.

+1 for Chrysler Pacifica (never thought I would own a Chrysler!)

Plus the 2nd and 3rd row seats stow in the floor - no removing (you don't realize how nice this is until you had two vans that you had to remove them, then store them in your garage, then lift them back in, etc).

[ruanddu]

I'm a fan of our Chrysler Pacifica. It has a fantastic ride, a proven engine and it will hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the hatch down. Most minivans cannot.

+1 for Chrysler Pacifica (never thought I would own a Chrysler!)

Plus the 2nd and 3rd row seats stow in the floor - no removing (you don't realize how nice this is until you had two vans that you had to remove them, then store them in your garage, then lift them back in, etc).

Good to know! As far as you know are all the Pacifica years offering the 2nd and 3rd row seats that stow in the floor? Thanks.

[robphoto]

Have you gotten a quote to repair your Odyssey?

There's a lot of cost in changing cars-- could by 3,000. - 4,000. just for sales tax!

[robphoto]

I'm a fan of our Chrysler Pacifica. It has a fantastic ride, a proven engine and it will hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the hatch down. Most minivans cannot.

+1 for Chrysler Pacifica (never thought I would own a Chrysler!)

Plus the 2nd and 3rd row seats stow in the floor - no removing (you don't realize how nice this is until you had two vans that you had to remove them, then store them in your garage, then lift them back in, etc).

Good to know! As far as you know are all the Pacifica years offering the 2nd and 3rd row seats that stow in the floor? Thanks.

With Pacifica, the all-wheel-drive version, the hybrid, and the Pinnacle trim don't have stow-n-go for the second row.

[aardvark62]

When we looked last June, the used minivan market didn’t make sense. An Odyssey or Sienna 1-3 years old was the same price as a new one delivered in 2-6 months. We ordered a new Sienna and will run it into the ground. We have been very happy with our purchase - 36 mpg + hands free doors have been great! We like the front-to-back movement of the Sienna’s second row more than the side-to-side movement of the Odyssey.

[jeffG]

My wife loves minivans and we’ve continuously owned one since 1984 ( I think we are on number 6 or 7). We typically put 150-200K miles on each one. All have been Chrysler products (Plymouth, dodge and chrysler). We currently own a 2018 Pacifica with 93,000 miles and it certainly is the cream of the minivan crop. Before I bought it I did cross shop Nissan and Honda and for my size (6’5”) the Pacifica was more comfortable and airy feeling. Plus having the stow and go is huge for hauling. I’ve had good luck with all of them. My 2008 was sold at 186,000 miles and the only issue was it needed front wheel bearings at 160K. All except one was running great when I sold them.

[spth]

2014 Sienna front wheel drive. 8 passengers. Holds 4x8 sheet of plywood. No issues/repairs yet.

[stupidkid]

I'm a fan of our Chrysler Pacifica. It has a fantastic ride, a proven engine and it will hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the hatch down. Most minivans cannot.

+1 for Chrysler Pacifica (never thought I would own a Chrysler!)

Plus the 2nd and 3rd row seats stow in the floor - no removing (you don't realize how nice this is until you had two vans that you had to remove them, then store them in your garage, then lift them back in, etc).

Good to know! As far as you know are all the Pacifica years offering the 2nd and 3rd row seats that stow in the floor? Thanks.

With Pacifica, the all-wheel-drive version, the hybrid, and the Pinnacle trim don't have stow-n-go for the second row.

I have an AWD Pacifica with the rear seat currently stowed. It's the hybrid that can't stow. We're about four months into ownership, I love it. I find the stigma funny. As a car website said - if you really like cars you tend to use them for their purpose. But most people buy sports cars and don't go to the track, buy SUVs and don't off road, buy trucks and don't do anything... But with a minivan you use it for precisely what it's designed all the time, it's great.

[FIRWYW]

2004 odyssey bought used in 2008 off Craigslist ad with 40k miles. Now has 250k miles. Rebuilt transmission at about 120k miles which is apparently a very common problem for the model that includes that year. Replaced motors on doors 3 times (2 on one side, one on other). Paint peak off on edges of doors. Otherwise has worked well mechanically. We like the sienna more because of awd and smoother ride but cost was about 30% higher.

We get a lot of posts extolling the virtues of Honda and Toyota, so I should probably ask whether these repairs were picked up by some kind of warranty program by the manufacturer? I've had my domestic transmission start to act up at just a little more miles than that and haven't been happy about it, but of course there was no relief in sight. The problems were known and cost about $50 in parts to fix, plus an amount similar to the national debt for labor.

Tech0010 pretty much summed it up. I actually thought they extended the transmission warranty to 100k for those years b/c the issue. Unfortunately we didn’t know about the recall. Never had problems until suddenly the gears didn’t shift going up a pass, pulled over to find a huge trail of transmission fluid behind us and had to get it towed to the nearest small town. We were 20k over the warranty . They did a rebuilt transmission for about 3k. Otherwise. I agree with people on Toyotas and Hondas. Ours have done well until the die at about 250-300k miles. Usually around 200k we start doing minimum maintenance. For our Camry after the mechanic told us the head gasket was going and not to put money into it, it ran for another 7 years

[Parkinglotracer]

2014 Sienna front wheel drive. 8 passengers. Holds 4x8 sheet of plywood. No issues/repairs yet.

same here ... runs like a champ and can tow 3500 lbs. i was thinking of getting a TACOMA sticker for the back to make it cool.

[skp]

Another vote for a Pacifica. We like our Pacifica for the flexibility of the stow and go seats. Very versatile car plus comfortable.

[robphoto]

I'm a fan of our Chrysler Pacifica. It has a fantastic ride, a proven engine and it will hold a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the hatch down. Most minivans cannot.

+1 for Chrysler Pacifica (never thought I would own a Chrysler!)

Plus the 2nd and 3rd row seats stow in the floor - no removing (you don't realize how nice this is until you had two vans that you had to remove them, then store them in your garage, then lift them back in, etc).

Good to know! As far as you know are all the Pacifica years offering the 2nd and 3rd row seats that stow in the floor? Thanks.

With Pacifica, the all-wheel-drive version, the hybrid, and the Pinnacle trim don't have stow-n-go for the second row.

I have an AWD Pacifica with the rear seat currently stowed. It's the hybrid that can't stow. We're about four months into ownership, I love it. I find the stigma funny. As a car website said - if you really like cars you tend to use them for their purpose. But most people buy sports cars and don't go to the track, buy SUVs and don't off road, buy trucks and don't do anything... But with a minivan you use it for precisely what it's designed all the time, it's great.

Sorry, I was wrong, you can stow the second row seats in the AWD Pacifica.

You can't in the hybrid (battery is in that space) or the Pinnacle (they chose posh seats rather than stowable ones).

[robphoto]

2014 Sienna front wheel drive. 8 passengers. Holds 4x8 sheet of plywood. No issues/repairs yet.

same here ... runs like a champ and can tow 3500 lbs. i was thinking of getting a TACOMA sticker for the back to make it cool.

With the newest Sienna you can't remove the second row seats because the airbags are part of the seats, so they have electrical connections. Or, you can remove them, but it involves a lot of unbolting and and electrical disconnection. So there's no 4x8' lie-flat floor.

[ScubaHogg]

- 2021 (right before car prices went nuts)
- Bought a 2022 Honda Odyssey at the dealer
- We’ve got two toddlers now (two babies then)
- freakin love the thing. I wish I could justify two. Very comfortable and you can put a ton of stuff in it. Between that and our hatchback I’ll never buy a sedan again

[zag00]

2022 KIA Carnival EX trim
Most power in its class
Good all around mpg
lot of features for not being top trim (leather, heated seats, adaptive cruise w/semi hands free driving)
Looks less van-ish

[28fe6]

I have a 2014 town and country and like it so much I'm on the hunt for the latest model year grand caravan I can find to upgrade it. I think the last year was 2020 before they switched to the Pacifica. I've rented Pacificas several times and was infuriated by the transmission and the mandatory start/stop.

[6bquick]

3 kids under 7.
bought a 2016 odyssey with 60k on it in 2019 for ~20k. Has 115k on it now. hoping to get another 115k+ out of it. at which point we'll have 3 kids in the 7-12 range, so it'll most likely be replaced with... drumroll please.... another minivan!

if I were buying new or new adjacent today, I'd seriously investigate the awd Sienna hybrid. 35mpg, awd, Toyota reliability. but, I have no qualms about our Honda, nor would I about another odyssey in the future. it's mind-numbingly practical. if you have a (young) family, buying a vehicle literally designed for you and your vehicular pain points is the bees knees..

[jpi100]

2010 odyssey touring. 210K miles. had ghost battery drain. It has stranded me few places due to depleted battery. Replaced alternator but didn't solve the problem. Turned out to be the sliding door on the passenger side. Multiple issues on the sliding door from what I read on the web. Only issue i had with the car was the sliding door and it was fixed once but didn't do the job so back in the shop again. One minor issue was time reset on Jan 1st of this year and magically reset on a date in August. Honda send out a technical bulletin on that. The time was totally off on both clocks and one of them got fixed but the other clock is still wrong. Honda's own Y2K bug, I guess.

[lthenderson]

Hello,

We are looking to buy a used mini van for our family.

I would appreciate hearing your experience if you are also a fellow mini van driver and how you decided which model to go with.

What make and model did you find was best for your needs?

How old can I go and still get a good van with safety features and functionality.

Did you buy at a dealer or craigslist, facebook marketplace, etc?

Thank you.

Our latest minivan is a Toyota Sienna. We bought it specifically because it was AWD (the only minivan to have it at the time) and we live in an old river bluff town where everything is either up or down and we get a fair amount of 'snice' all year. (Snow or ice or a combination.) The previous minivan we had when we moved here was a FWD Honda Odyssey. While we liked it, it really drove on the bad conditions of winter like a pig walks on ice. Very ungainly. The AWD Sienna has allowed me to pass dozens of people still spinning their tires trying to get going from stops headed uphill.

We like the functionality of the minivan. We are a five person household so it allows us to go somewhere in comfort. Being somewhat of a handyman, I can also remove and fold up seats and haul 4 x 8 sheets of material and lots of other things as needed. (The new ones don't allow for removal of the middle row of seats easily.)

In my experience, minivans are really utilitarian vehicles and so get used hard compared to other styles of vehicles. I like that about them but it does mean that uses one generally tend to be really used and so if you are looking for something immaculate, you may not have many to choose from. Since they are part of our life, at least until the last of our kids hit the road on their own, we have bought ours brand new and used them up until we replaced them.

[thedaybeforetoday]

2014 Sienna front wheel drive. 8 passengers. Holds 4x8 sheet of plywood. No issues/repairs yet.

We have the same vehicle/same year. same 8 passenger.
182k miles. The Toyota v6 is a beast.
back row stores flat and 2nd row seats slide up; never needed to remove 2nd row and we've moved 3 kids in and out of colleges for 8 years now.

[JakeyLee]

ruanddu,
I had a base model Chrysler Pacifica for one week rental in Houston this past September. I was quite amazed at how much fun I had driving that van. 24 valve V6 was great on gas, with plenty of power and pep. Great visibility with tons of storage space. The van performed really well in freeway cross winds. I never thought I’d say this, but yeah… I totally understand why people buy these vans.

[ruanddu]

Have you gotten a quote to repair your Odyssey?

There's a lot of cost in changing cars-- could by 3,000. - 4,000. just for sales tax!

Good point! No but am planning on it!

[LongMoney]

Just sayin'....My dad put 232,000 miles on his light blue 96' dodge caravan. For reference, the moon is 238,855 miles away from Earth.

[jamesthebaker]

In 2019, bought a 2011 Toyota Sienna Limited with 85000 miles on it for $15000. It’s my third car and I use it in Florida at my condo. Usage about 6,000 miles per year.

Expenses so far:
2019: tires for $800
2021: Electrical work for $1000 (rodents chewed through wires and messed things up)
2022: New A/C components for $2000

[Outer Marker]

Have you gotten a quote to repair your Odyssey?

There's a lot of cost in changing cars-- could by 3,000. - 4,000. just for sales tax!

+1. How bad is the damage? Was your van totaled by the insurance company?

There should be a lot of life left in an Oddessy with 135K miles. The lowest cost option is likely to repair your van. You know the history, and its not like you're going to have engine issues popping up as the result of a busted tailgate.

I would shop around for quotes from good, indpendent body shops. Consider using salvage parts vs. new, which will save a lot of money. See if you can get a "cash price" which can be much lower than if they're dealing with the insurance company.

[Outer Marker]

Have you gotten a quote to repair your Odyssey?

There's a lot of cost in changing cars-- could by 3,000. - 4,000. just for sales tax!

+1. How bad is the damage? Was your van totaled by the insurance company?

There should be a lot of life left in an Oddessy with 135K miles. The lowest cost option is likely to repair your van. You know the history, and its not like you're going to have engine issues popping up as the result of a busted tailgate.

I would shop around for quotes from good, indpendent body shops. Consider using salvage parts vs. new, which will save a lot of money. See if you can get a "cash price" which can be much lower than if they're dealing with the insurance company.

[bencahill]

We have an 09 Toyota Sienna and love it. We got that year because in 2011 they changed the 8th seat in the 8-passenger version to be not nearly as large or comfortable.

If the 8th seat is important to you (as it was to us), these are the vehicles with a comfortable 8th seat:

2004-2010 Toyota Sienna
2011+ Honda Odyssey
2020+ Kia Carnival (maybe earlier Sedona's as well; I didn't look into these)

I love the Toyota brand so for us it was a no-brainer.

In 2.5 years we have had to do a few repairs on it (in decreasing order of expense): sliding door hinges, water pump, starter, passenger CV axle, and radiator filler neck. Sounds like a lot but I love this van.

[ncbill]

I bought a Chrysler town and country minivan new in 2006 and I’m still using it. I love it: reliable, large cargo area, good power, stable in crosswinds. At the time, I test drove a Toyota sienna and did not like it at all. The engine compartment intruded into the passenger area. So don’t think you have to go Japanese.

Yep, got the same generation (a few years older) and love it.

Plan on running it into the ground.

Considered moving to the Pacifica but it has not proven as reliable.

[ruanddu]

Thanks everyone again. Really helpful info!

Waiting to hear from insurance currently to hear what they come back with. Drivable as is, though hatch door doesn't open due to damage. The frame around door is also bent so not sure how cost-effective replacement will be. Slider door just today on driver said quite opening. Could be coincidence or due to accident.

[ruanddu]

We have an 09 Toyota Sienna and love it. We got that year because in 2011 they changed the 8th seat in the 8-passenger version to be not nearly as large or comfortable.

If the 8th seat is important to you (as it was to us), these are the vehicles with a comfortable 8th seat:

2004-2010 Toyota Sienna
2011+ Honda Odyssey
2020+ Kia Carnival (maybe earlier Sedona's as well; I didn't look into these)

I love the Toyota brand so for us it was a no-brainer.

In 2.5 years we have had to do a few repairs on it (in decreasing order of expense): sliding door hinges, water pump, starter, passenger CV axle, and radiator filler neck. Sounds like a lot but I love this van.

This is really helpful info. Thanks!

[spth]

2014 Sienna front wheel drive. 8 passengers. Holds 4x8 sheet of plywood. No issues/repairs yet.

same here ... runs like a champ and can tow 3500 lbs. i was thinking of getting a TACOMA sticker for the back to make it cool.

Haha. You are cool just the way you are.